In 1994, Archie comics made news with the publication of the Love Showdown arc. This was an arc that spanned four Archie titles, and sold itself as the mother of all Betty and Veronica battles. The battle to end all battles. The world of Archie and friends might never be the same. Today, we know that it can never happen. Or at least we are quite sure that it can never happen. Bucky and Jason Todd live again, but Archie will never make the choice, and Veronica and Betty are forever tied in a never ending war.

So with Archie marries…, they got smarter (it is pretty smart with Showdown) and went with the “what if” scenario instead. And they even went both ways. It turned out great. The story arc provided some of the best Archie stories I have ever read, I thought at first. Then, the truth dawned on me that it was a great read because it moved away from status quo. That, and Uslan’s superb script.

If you ask me, I prefer Archie’s life with Ronnie. Life with Betty does have its positive points, such as Archie having a career he enjoys. But still, life with Veronica seems to come with fewer struggles. The thing is, the fact that Archie Comics pulls off such a stunt tells us that there will never be any major changes to the status quo. Any changes they want to make, they can create another “what if”. On the bright side, Archie and friends will never have to face complicated continuity issues.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Went past Bras Basah Complex and saw a copy of The Complete Judge Dredd Case Files 01 on display at a secondhand bookshop. Bought it because I enjoy reading old comics more than new ones these days. (jia lat)

Brought it to the cashier, paid for it and the counter girl put the book in a Comics Mart plastic bag.

Oh mygosh

So that's where some of the stocks from mart went to.Heard that the mart folks have decided to come back to Singapore to face the music?But unconfirmed la.

Monday, December 13, 2010

One of the fun things about comics conventions is the collecting of sketches from your friends and the artists you like.

I tend not to be pushy about such things, so when I was at San Diego 3 years ago, it didn't even occur to me to do that.

So there I was just hanging around and saw that people were lining up to get Matt Wagner's signature. There were just 3 or 4 people in the line, so I join in as I don't bother with the long queues. Thought I just get him to sign the programme book.

But everyone in line was getting him to sketch something. I was the only one not having a sketch book in hand. Without asking, the lady behind (who was there to help her boyfriend to collect autographs and sketches, so you know she was nice) gave me a piece of art paper to get his sketch. That was a nice SDCC gesture. You learn about the ethics of queuing up for autographs/sketches and simply to chill and have a chat with the people in the line.

I bought a small sketch at the con after that and have been collecting since - STGCC, SWF and while we were waiting for lunch to start at Adrian Teo's wedding.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

I return to Eileen Chang every few years. She remains the master of the short story from the early 20th Century. Whether you read her in English or Chinese, she is devastating.

I recently read a Penguin collection of her short stories translated in English, which includes the classic, Red Rose White Rose. I have read this before in Chinese but have forgotten that the Red Rose character was an overseas Chinese from Nanyang. You see, back then, girls from Singapore or Malaya were the 'bad girls'. If you want to marry a nice girl from a good family, find one from Shanghai or Beijing.

That's a total flip from today. PRC girls are bad, or 'crows' to use a term from some years ago.

So for all those brothers out there who got burnt and got their heart broken by PRC singers, enjoy the irony.

Oh yeah, Red Rose White Rose will be staged at next year's Huayi Festival. Should be good.

Friday, December 3, 2010

11 Dec, Sat. 1215 – 1300 Asian Identity in comics in the midst of Manga and Superheroes: What will it take for Singapore to become a comic publishing hub by 2020? Why should Singapore aspire to be a comic hub? Panelists: Otto Fong, Lim Cheng Tju, Sonny Liew & Tan Eng Huat

In conjunction with the STGCC scholars from universities across the region and internationally will examine the richness of popular culture in Asia with its intermingling of the local and international and the growing impact of Asia and Asians on global forms. How do Games, Toys and Comics shape and display the values of Asian cultures. How can we understand the popularity of these forms globally. What is similar and what is distinctive about these in different Asian countries. What is the background of this current boom? And as Toys, Games, and Comics converge with other forms like film, television, and the internet what does the future hold for individual cultures? These issues and more will be examined in several academic sessions at the convention, organised by NUS, which are open to all registered attendees.

And now, Little Disturbed Darby and the Melancholy Monsters, a hc b&w children's book that is actually not meant for children. Parents should unwrap this to check the content before buying it for their kids. Nightmares guaranteed.

But in reality, fairy tales are dark. Hansel and Gretel pushing that nice old lady into the oven? C'mon.

The first half of Darby reads like your typical too clever by half children's book - everything nice and jolly. The second half is classic Ken Foo, which is sick, sick, SICK.

But I take that back. It's actually sad, sad, SAD. It's true that at our core we are truly utterly alone. Maybe it's not something we want to tell our kids now, but sooner or later they will learn this. Our lives are mundane.

Ken always wanted to do a children's book, although he has not read many to form any preconceived notions of how/what a children's books should be. So this is unadulterated Ken Foo. Written/drawn/self-published.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

The idea of changing Spider-Man’s life with magic turned out better than I had expected. The Amazing Spider-Man had been quite dark before. Arcs like The Other are real intense, but not very interesting to me. It was a chance to beat up Spider-Man badly again (as if Kraven’s Last Hunt is not enough).

But now all that dark stuff is gone, and amazingly, Spider-Man is updated for this period of time. These new Spider-Man stories bring a lot of humanity. Just amazing. One of my favourite changes is Chameleon, back to his old self. No more fancy gadgets, but tons of creepiness. And what about the return of the original Rhino, where he had to battle the new one? I have never seen Rhino, the original one that is, in such glory. Pure, unbridled brute power and full of fury. That is what Rhino should have been, not some dumb comical villain who gets his horn stuck in something.

And what about all that drama Peter has to go through? What about the return of Harry Osborn? Bringing him back to the life is a huge bend in continuity. But who cares when you see him hang out with Peter. Peter now has a buddy again. It is just amazing. This is a wonderful franchise reboot.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Having told two Christians that I am an agnostic, they took the chance to preach to me. At some point, they asked me what I wish to do with people in life. And I told them I want to help. In reply, they pulled out one of the most utterly unbelievable religious arguments ever heard: if you do not believe in God and there is no God, then humans must have no value. It is God that gives humans value. And then they ask me, ”Why do you want to help people if they are worthless?”

If you do not love your neighbour, have tolerance at least, regardless of race, language, religion or ideology. Yes, I know not all Christians think in religious extremities.

Have you ever seen a one trick pony in the field so happy and free?If you've ever seen a one trick pony then you've seen meHave you ever seen a one-legged dog making its way down the street?If you've ever seen a one-legged dog then you've seen me

Then you've seen me, I come and stand at every doorThen you've seen me, I always leave with less than I had beforeThen you've seen me, bet I can make you smile when the blood, it hits the floorTell me, friend, can you ask for anything more?Tell me can you ask for anything more?

Have you ever seen a scarecrow filled with nothing but dust and wheat?If you've ever seen that scarecrow then you've seen meHave you ever seen a one-armed man punching at nothing but the breeze?If you've ever seen a one-armed man then you've seen me

Then you've seen me, I come and stand at every doorThen you've seen me, I always leave with less than I had beforeThen you've seen me, bet I can make you smile when the blood, it hits the floorTell me, friend, can you ask for anything more?Tell me can you ask for anything more?

These things that have comforted me, I drive awayThis place that is my home I cannot stayMy only faith's in the broken bones and bruises I display

Have you ever seen a one-legged man trying to dance his way free?If you've ever seen a one-legged man then you've seen me

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Cheng Tju and I are organizing Singapore's first ever 24 Hour Comics Day! Sonny Liew will be there too!

http://www.singaporecomics.com/24hourcomicsday/

24 Hour Comics Day is a fun and creative marathon event that has taken place in many countries every year since 2004. Thousands of creators all over the globe have challenged themselves to each create 24 pages of comics in 24 hours.

It's happening here in Singapore on Saturday, 2 October 2010. We have a nice venue sponsored by School Of Thought, located at Queen Street, behind the Singapore Art Museum.

If you have ever wanted to create a 24-page comic story, here's the perfect excuse to do it, and it will only take 24 hours!

If you don't want to do this alone -- if you are an artist looking for a writer, or a writer looking for an artist -- get in touch. We'll help you find a collaborator.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Moderating a session on rock and photography later this month and was talking to the artist, an old friend.

He shared that he was just like many of today's youth, listening to love songs because they had not gone through those emotions of heartbreak yet and were living those experiences through the songs. Which to him, in hindsight, was unhealthy.

My views on this is different. Music, like art, cinema and comics, is about sense-making. It gives expression to the transient moments that we try to hold on to but can't.

Life is often a conflict between what we want and what others expect of us. Music provides that solace and space to make sense of ourselves and our lives.

More info here:http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090428232014AAMhSaL

Talking to comic shop here recently, what sells in America doesn't quite tally here.Eg. Kevin Smith's The Green Hornet was hot property in USA. But sales here was dismal.Titles like X-Men still sell well, but at most 70 copies per issue for this particular shop.Wonder how many copies a particular issue would sell in total in Singapore.And who is the distributor these days for newstand copies?

Monday, August 30, 2010

Alan Bay has a lot of potential as a cartoonist, if the comics on his website are of any indication his abilities. And Atlas, is his Mugen (Chuang Yi) feature.

Seeing the first few pages, it would seem that Atlas is a spoof of role-playing games, considering the popularity of MMORPGs at the moment. There is a page of character stats in the style of the genre. But reading on, the book does not seem to be poking fun at RPGs. Rather, it reads like an adaptation of an MMORPG; the Ragnarok kind, with cartoony drawings. Because I am not familiar with games such as Maple Story, I am unable to access the quality of an MMORPG manga.

This book is recommended for those who cannot get enough satisfaction from MMORPGs just by playing. When playing the game is not enough, read it. Oh yes, there is the pre-requisite chibi humour present.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Phua Chu Kang should be retired; that is what many Singaporeans seem to believe. They say that he is outdated, and his humour is no longer fresh. Looking at how Marvel and DC have been for so many years, the complaints do not seem very valid.

PCK could have been honorably revived. DC and Marvel characters having been around for so long is a proof of that. It is just a matter of whether characters can be kept up to date. But by modernizing characters, the original essence of the character might be lost.

Spider-Man started out as a whiny everyman. He was nerdy, average in looks, failed with girls and was mostly average in every aspect, except that he has powers. Today Parker is still very much a whiny everyman, except that he is handsome, married a supermodel, and stands among the Avengers. Some things were definitely lost.

So it is not PCK, but those who write him that are at fault. They lack the creativity to find new directions for the character.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Adaptation of Ip Man the prequel. More background story and nicely told.

The 8th Copper Man in Shaolin.Retelling of the famous Shaolin/Zhang Sanfeng 张三丰 story by the very hip Taiwanese writer Giddens 九把刀. It's hot even in Thailand!Watch out for the next Giddens comic book - 功夫!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Niven Road's Evil Empire just had Drawing King, a contest where artists battled it out with markers on OHT to win a 2m long pencil.

Sounds like Quick Draw!, the panel hosted by Mark Evanier every year at San Diego where Len Wein and Peter David compete for the throne for the fastest draw in the West. And it just happened over the weekend too.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

The Human Torch knocks up a girl he met at a party two months ago and she comes knocking with news of the arrival of Johnny Storm Jr. They were drunk, they had a good time and the Human Torch can't remember the details.

What a great idea for a Fantastic Four Annual.

Of course, it's all a ruse by a super villian and all's well ends well.

Sign of the times that we get a storyline like this in a mainstream comic book.

It Takes A Wizard (Gomanga) is an American OEL manga. How was this manga? I have no idea how to put it nicely.

For one, there are some interesting concepts behind the story. However, it is not well executed. The story begins with a mission briefing and we are introduced to the protagonist, Isaac Silverberg who is as generic as anyone can get with manga designs. In fact, all human characters are generically designed (although competently drawn), and one dimensional in characterization. Who is the Midnight King? Not important, because the comic will tell you little about him. May be he is supposed to be mysterious? There are better ways of executing mystery than this.

Now I explain further why the work can be seen as amateurish. Firstly, the story is set in a region of America that has been devastated by the Midnight King and his fantastical creatures. So it is post-apocalyptic all around. I have no idea whose decision it was to clutter panels with so many objects. This amount of detail and objects may be good for comics with colour, but for black and white manga with art lines that vary little in thickness, it is not very pleasing. Look at Bone in black and white, and you won’t see such cluttering in panels as often, especially in action sequences.

So may be the writer of this manga has put more effort to developing themes and such. In chapter five, there is one half page panel where Isaac is told by another character that death all around him. The panel's background is filled (cluttered) with plants, roots, and water flowing. In the focus of this panel is water flowing. I am unable to find any reference to water being a symbol of death. All I know is water symbolizes life in Japan, wisdom in Taoism, purity in Christianity and so on. Water as a symbol of death and destruction, none. Not even through google. So may be the writer had some idea in his head that is unfathomable to educated audiences. May be the story is superficial, and there is no need to read deeply at all.

The manga, with a great concept behind it, is marred by a story not well developed, and panels that, though figures and objects are nicely drawn, are sometimes too cluttered and thus visually irritating.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

"Here's one I'll not be able to use on the radio. It is a whit embarrassing to admit it to sophisticated young persons (read 'dirty little bastards' throughout) such as yourselves, but I retained my virgin status until I was well past my twenty-one birthday. You should have seen my wrists though - like pillars of mighty oak. I was unbeaten at arm-wrestling for 7 years."

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Listening to the Pixies' Gigantic on my ipod recently reminded me of specially ordering Surfer Rosa from Valentine Music at Paradiz Centre in 1988. I heard John Peel playing it and I just had to get this record. It was sold to me 'under the counter' because the cover was a topless woman. Ah, the dark ages of the 1980s. Valentine charged a premium for this 'underground' music.

I taped it on to a cassette to listen to it on my walkman. And when the batteries are dying, the speed of the music slows down. It's like some blackmasking being done. But I kind of like it. Just like Butthole Surfers' Locust Abortion Technician (1987). One of the tracks required you to switch from 33 1/3 to 45 and back.

You can't do that when you listen to music on the ipod. I miss the hiss.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Monday, July 12, 2010

Good Dog, Bad Dog (David Fickling Books) by Dave Shelton, is a feature of a British comics magazine for kids, known as DFC. As of this writing, after 43 issues, the magazine was cancelled. However, plans are to collect certain features.

This first volume of the above mentioned feature contains three stories. It is, as the publisher puts it, a “noir adventure comedy”, set in a world of anthromorphic dogs. Being targeted at kids, the stories are simple. As such, the comic does not shy away from the matters of death and murder.

The comic utilizes lots of physical and verbal (British) humour. The slapstick is outstanding, and is perhaps the most creative part about the book. The characterization is a bit more clichéd, being based on noir conventions, but still very well done. A nice detective is partnered with a no-nonsense type, each requiring the other to solve cases.

For adults the book provides a wonderful insight into brilliant slapstick comedy, and with that a must read, especially if you are unable to get your hands on the films of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

"The greatest pleasure in pop music derives, I believe, from the manner in which its very nature resists scholarship. There have been, needless to say, many attempts at scholarly pop books but most have been either outrageous hagiographies or absurd displays of pomposity. Those that have succeeded have done so because of the excellence of the writing rather than the importance of the subject matter. Pop is a car-boot sale, a parade of trinkets, junk and handicrafts. most worthless, some capable of giving a few moments of pleasure, with a few glorious items made more glorious by their unexpected appearance in this market. Then, in an unpredictable double-bluff, the worthless can, within a few years, take on great worth and the glorious become merely laughable." (p. 329)

"I'm going to tell you about a new recording of such strength, energy and real beauty that to me it represents the first break-through into history that any musician has made." (p. 421, talking about Tubular Bells)

"Rock music, even the very best of it, is essentially ephemeral." (p. 420)

Thursday, July 8, 2010

There really is no good reason why I like comics. For one, I could have chosen literature. But compared to films, comics would be a better choice because in Singapore, access to films is very limited. For example, we don’t get Shaun of the Dead or The Aquatic Life of Steve Zissou in cinemas. So what if the censorship board tones down its censoring further. Marketing forces will keep films out of here, including censorship friendly films. Crappy Hollywood films fill the cinemas around the world. Thankfully, Kinokuniya imports all kinds of comics.

Someone said to me over the discussion board that Singaporeans will ultimately wise up as to what they are receiving, that they will know what are good comics when they see it. I disagree. Seeing how corporate commercialism has such a hold on Singaporean youths, I doubt swaying their interest is possible unless one has sufficient marketing power or is the government (even the government has difficulties).

As a comics blogger, sometimes I wish for a bit more recognition. But really, it is not within my power to have it so. Working in this field is clearly not rewarding. Still, interest is interest. Life is short; do what you like.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Mercury by Hope Larson utilizes mysteries as its main hook. The mystery of how a pendant ended up with the Fraser family, the mystery of Asa Curry and so on. The book, with its historical and modern settings in parallel to each other, goes from being a simple tale of teenage life, to a darker one with supernatural elements involved.

The resolution is not detailed but is sufficient to allow readers to come to conclusions with regards to the main plot, while leaving a few mysteries left to imagination. Mercury is an enjoyable book, with a nice twist to the ending. Going back and forth between the timelines kept me wondering how they are connected. The good characterization keeps the story from being boring, especially when the resolution is far away.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

After having read so many western and Japanese comics, I have developed preferences. This is also why I have a tendency to put down local comics that that try and fail to imitate foreign comics. If I see a manga that lacks to have a local touch of culture, I expect it to have a strong Japanese cultural influence. There is no such thing as art with no cultural.

There are people like The Kuppies and Otto Fong, who have done very Singaporean things. Even if the quality of Mr Kiasu is truly terrible compared to Watchmen, it is borne out of your own culture. Because of this, comparing Mr Kiasu to comics steeped in American or any foreign culture can be argued to be unfair.

I like local comics with Singlish. It makes them so much more realistic. May be I am fascinated with Singlish due to my poor command of it. But since most home-grown locals speak it every day, I would expect local comics featuring Singaporeans to do the same. How can we ever have our own local title of gritty, realistic comics without Singlish or any other cultural aspect that defines us as Singaporeans?

Friday, July 2, 2010

Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth (Bloomsbury) is a graphic novel about the life and struggles of Bertrand Russell, with the foundations of mathematics and logic, as well as society. The novel is not an accurate historic account, taking creative liberties to allow for drama. In addition, the book provides an introduction to modern logic, both mathematical and philosophical, and the people who built its foundations.

As a comic, it is highly readable. Drama and humour are plenty. The logic ideas are quite easy to follow. Interspersed within the main story are self-referential scenes that explain the ideas of logic as well as the novel itself. For a comic about a subject as dry (not for me) as logic, it is very enjoyable.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

This one is an oddity. It is supposedly based on the original video game of the same name. However, the only connections to the source material are a prince and Persia. The book is not even mainstream, which is probably one of the reasons why First Second was willing to publish it. The other reason is quality.

As I mentioned; not mainstream. Action is relatively low; no acrobatic jumps, no complex sword fights, but lots of mysticism. The copy I had, a library one, was in rather good condition. You are less likely to see mainstream books in such conditions.

The Prince of Persia looks to Arabian Nights (or One Thousand and One Nights) for inspiration. And this is what you get; a throwback to old Arabian tales. Like most books published by First Second, you can expect this one to be of similar quality, that is if you know what that is. I know I am not being explicit, but given the kind of books I read, I doubt anyone who reads only mainstream comics would bother with it. For those who read alternative comics, I suppose I have written enough. Just knowing the book is in the style of Arabian Nights and not the video game is enough to get me to pick it up.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

I attended the book launch of Teo Soh Lung's Beyond the Blue Gate over the weekend.

This is a little-known story related to Teo Soh Lung. In 1989, Eric Khoo released his first graphic novel, Unfortunate Lives. The last story in that collection is about a woman who was detained for many years for her political beliefs. The woman in that story was inspired by Teo Soh Lung.

Soh Lung is the sister of Teo Eng Seng, who had taught Eric Khoo art when he was studying at United World College. However, due to objections from the publishers, Eric had to change the story to be set in South Africa. However, if you look at the art, it is still a Chinese woman who is been portrayed in the story.

Have been listening to Big Star and The Replacements since Alex Chilton passed away some months ago. It all comes together when I listened to Bastards of the Young on my ipod while walking down Tenjin looking for Mandrake.

"God, what a mess, on the ladder of successWhere you take one step and miss the whole first rungDreams unfulfilled, graduate unskilledIt beats pickin' cotton and waitin' to be forgotten

We are the sons of no one, bastards of youngWe are the sons of no one, bastards of youngThe daughters and the sons

Clean your baby womb, trash that baby boomElvis in the ground, there'll ain't no beer tonightIncome tax deduction, what a hell of a functionIt beats pickin' cotton and waitin' to be forgotten

We are the sons of no one, bastards of youngWe are the sons of no one, bastards of youngThe daughters and the sons

Unwillingness to claim us, ya got no word to name us

The ones who love us best are the ones we'll lay to restAnd visit their graves on holidays at bestThe ones who love us least are the ones we'll die to pleaseIf it's any consolation, I don't begin to understand them

We are the sons of no one, bastards of youngWe are the sons of no one, bastards of youngThe daughters and the sons"

As working adults, we can all identify with the lines "Those who love us least are the ones we die to please."It's sad that "Those who love us best are the ones we lay to rest. Visit their graves on holidays at best."

We should spend more time with our loved ones and appreciate them. Even if the time is short, it's about cherishing the moment at hand, making every second counts.

Eternity or a day? Sometimes, a day is all we need to last a lifetime.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Token (Minx) is a rather generic, coming-of-age, teenage girl tale. The lead, Shira, is your usual troubled teen without a mother; the kind who is unpopular in high school. But then a Latino boy comes around to heat things up.

Shira is pretty average for the genre, getting all emo and whiny when problems occur. But the interactions between her and the supporting casts remind me of Bendis; fast, snappy dialogues. Then there is the Shira’s interesting neighbour, Minerva, who acts as a mother figure, filling in a void Shira’s father cannot. Generic, but well executed, except may be the resolution is a little uncomprehensive.

This is the third Minx book I have read to date. And if you are a guy, I really recommend trying out books from the imprint, unless you are only attracted to sex and violence when it comes to comics.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

For those who are familiar with Holly Black, The Good Neighbors volume one: Kin (Graphix) is sort of like Spiderwick Chronicles for teens. I was expecting myself to read a few pages of this comic, get bored and move on to something else. But those few pages got me hooked.

Besides the usual character introductions for a first volume, the main presentation is two mysteries side by side. By the end of the volume, both mysteries are solved. Even with faeries, the comic never lets fantasy elements run all over as other comics of the same genre would do. Mysteries in fantasies are difficult to solve because usually, someone does hocus pocus which no one can ever imagine. Example: Jean Loring in Identity Crisis. With The Good Neighbors, there is no such cheating.

"A censure motion was also presented in the Upper House against new Prime Minister Naoto Kan and national policy minister Satoshi Arai, who has admitted his now-defunct political body inappropriately booked costs for comic book purchases as official expenses."

Sunday, June 20, 2010

The planter is Malcolm MacDonald, I presume. Check out the wordings on the trees. UM was a modernist project by the British to cultivate local leaders to take over from them. And to be friendly to them after they leave.

Think about this in the context of what happened soon after - the first student arrests of 1951, the setting up of the University of Malaya Socialist Club and the Fajar Trial of 1954.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Resident Tourist is probably one of the best local comics. Considering how many local comics take the fantasy route, Troy Chin’s work shows that with technical skill, no fantastic idea is required to make a good manga. One flaw with many local manga is the use of kawaii humour which always falls far from its intention. The problem is probably a result of Singaporeans trying to imitate Japanese humour without understanding it.

Chin however succeeds with his humour. In a way, the humour stems from his personality (if his stories are to be believed) and not something he forcibly conjured up. Resident Tourist is, as Americans would call it, an OEL manga. The Japanese influence is there, but the way Chin emphasizes his individualism, his sense of humour; western.

I remember coming across Resident Tourist at the Toy and Comics Convention in 2008. Chin’s booth was not very attractive. Nevertheless, reading a few pages of his work already impressed me, although back then I was quite unsure of my taste in and judgement of comics. So my impression was right, or at least I hope so.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

This I have to point out regarding comics from the library, because it really is quite common. Whoever the culprits are, how many of them there are, I don’t know.

Ever noticed how the alternative comics tend to be in better condition than the mainstream ones, say Marvel or DC. One can usually find pages with boogers or biscuit crumbs in the mainstream stuff. It is very likely that mainstream comics are borrowed more than the alternatives, hence the difference in conditions. Then may be, it reflects on the character of readers each kind of comic gets. A possibility: the mainstream comics attracts people with a lack of courtesy and care for public property, and that alternative readers are perhaps more likely to be educated in social graces.

Monday, June 14, 2010

A licensed sequel to Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, Wonderland (Slave Labor Graphics Publishing) continues the story where Alice left off……without Alice that is. Enter the white rabbit’s maidservant Mary Ann who, like all the other inhabitants of Wonderland, is eccentric.

The best thing about this book is the superb art, done by you-should-know-who. The story however, is a different story. For one, in the original Alice, be it the Disney film or two books, Wonderland was explored through Alice’s perspective. A normal girl, thrust into a world where logic and ration is turned upside down. Wonderland however, uses an inhabitant of Wonderland as its protagonist. That is an instant lost of connection with many readers.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

A question was posed on the discussion board, asking whether Singapore comics were generally poor in quality. And of course I have been asking myself whether I should be honest in my opinion regarding this, because so far, no one has really criticized our local productions, and someone should at least tactfully do so. Tactful and art criticism do not go well together.

Of course, the first thing a critic can do, I suppose is to not compare Singapore comics to foreign ones. But considering the fact that a significant number of local comics take inspiration from foreign comics, comparisons are bound to occur.

Take Dream Walker (TCZ Studio) for example. It is similar to Bleach in a number of ways. In addition, the creator admitted to coming up with the idea last minute, which implies things. Dream Walker: The Dreamscape reads like it is scripted by someone who took pointers from a “How to Write Graphic Novels” book, that is my opinion. Given how much mainstream manga has developed in Japan in artistry and technicality, Dream Walker is not very well executed. I actually wrote a detailed critical review of the series, but decided to hold it back.

Resident Tourist on the other hand is a different story. Autobiographical comics have been around for a long time. Troy Chin may not earn much points for creativity, yet, his work is well executed. It is readable and enjoyable. He knows what events in his life to highlight and how to highlight them. There is technical skill involved. Resident Tourist displays a better grasp of manga than Dream Walker, in their respective genres. And no one else in Singapore has gone as far as Chin has, so it is always refreshing to read his work.

Makes you wonder about this sudden turn of events towards humour. Kwan was very critical of the British in 1946 and 1947. There were no cartoons in 1948 (the year the Emergency was declared) and they only returned in 1949.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Monday, May 31, 2010

John Eber of the Malayan Democratic Union and Council of Joint Action gave a speech in KL on 26 Jan 1947. The Council of Joint Action called for a boycott of the Cheeseman Consultative Committee on the constitutional proposals for the setting up of the Federation of Malaya. The Cheeseman Consultative Committee was set up by Sir Edward Gent.

The Straits Times opposed the call for the boycott, but reprinted Eber's speech in its 30 Jan 1947 edition.

During this time, Cheeseman and his committee visited the various territories in Malaya to get views on the constitutional proposals. They visited Penang on 11 and 12 Feb.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

The Municipal strike of 1947 which left Singapore in a stink. Rayman is the the President of the Municipal Commissioners. The Malayan Democratic Union tried to mediate. The Straits Times, 17 Feb 1947.The Straits Times, 8 July 1947.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Another one about teaching. Believe it or not, to retain female teachers (the bulk of the teaching force then), they were 'advise' not to get married. The fear was that once they settled down, they will have children and resign from teaching.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Saturday, May 22, 2010

I love the rantings of Warren Ellis. Got the 2 earlier volumes of From The Desk Of and just discovered Bad Signal I and II at Prologue. So I came to this late but Ellis' insights about comics and culture still pack a punch. He talks about the writing of Global Frequency #1 and I bought that way back in 2002 and that's how long ago these emails were. Yes, these are a collection of emails that Ellis sent to his mailing groups. Good archival writings about the state of the affairs in 2001 and 2002 such as the near bankruptcy of Top Shelf and how fans and the alternative comics industry rally around them.

Ellis' view of how writing should be:

"But that's what's needed. People who scream and dance and have weird obsessions and who kiss people at night and pass out during the day and can write about that and make you feel it and want it."

Friday, May 21, 2010

Thursday, May 20, 2010

The harbour strike still going on as of Christmas Eve of 1946. Not quite sure where Kwan stood on this. Most of his other cartoons were critical of the British, but the satirical elements at work here are targeted at the strikers - drunken and foolish, and detrimental to the economic recovery of Singapore after the war? See this other cartoon.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Finally got my copy of this Marvel book. Not so much a collection of Gene's stories (THAT is something Marvel needs to rectify immediately) but a series of loving tributes and generous samples of artwork and covers.

Gene Colan's art can be considered as old school but you can feel the sense of movement in his fluid lines, especially those early issues of Daredevil, which set the gold standard for all to come, including Frank Miller. I remember reading those early DD stories in black and white in the early 80s UK reprints, which actually enhanced one's appreciation of Gene's use of light and shadows.

He was supposed to turn up for the 2008 San Diego Comicon, which I attended. But he missed it because of health issues. I got a signed print of this instead.